How One Woman Aged 10 Years in 30 Days

You finally finish a super long day at work, somehow manage to make it to Zumba on time, then pass out the second your head hits the pillow. Sometimes, taking your makeup off is the last thing on your mind. We’ve all been there.

One woman vowed to leave her makeup on for an entire month and illustrating the possible effects of what sleeping like a beauty can do to your skin: Clogged pores, dry, irritated skin, and redness. Even worse, her skin reportedly aged 10 years by the end of that month: wrinkles were deeper and her skin tone was less even.

Should you worry about hitting the sack sans cleanser and night cream? “This is really unrealistic example,” says Ranella Hirsch, MD, past president of the American Society of Cosmetic Dermatology & Aesthetic Surgery, and dermatologist in Massachusetts. “If your skin has anything on it for a whole month, it’ll become irritated.”

Think about it: Most people leave their makeup on overnight, then wash it off in the morning; they don’t leave it on for 30 days. That’s not to say it’s a good habit to have: makeup can clog pores and cause breakouts, plus you’re missing out on the anti-aging benefits in your night creams and serums.

“I’m not a fan of leaving makeup on for extended periods of time,” says Dr. Hirsch. But if you’re a repeat offender, she suggests using a light BB cream instead of a heavy foundation, which is meant to be worn as a day cream, making it easier on skin.

Still, “in the real scheme of things, it takes five seconds to wipe your face quickly with a cleansing wipe before bed,” says Dr. Hirsch. Keep these Beauty Award cleansing wipes by your bedside so there’s no excuse—even on a late night.